Pump primer



Sept. 14, 1943. P. E. VAN PELT PUMP PRIMER Filed NOV. 26, 1941 N K Q Qml m y m N J "HQ 3 n L m QM o w h 8 Q E m, N\ Q Q 4 NFMWN a ON mmINVENTOR PercyE.UanPeZz: BY

ATTYS Patented Sept. 14, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PUMP PRIMERPercy E. Van Pelt, Oakdale, Calif.

Application November 26, 1941, Serial No. 420,466

,, 1 Claim.

This invention relates in general to a pump primer, and in particularthe invention is directed to, and it is my principal object to provide,an

'improved pump primer for centrifugal pumps and especially for thecentrifugal pump of fire engines in which the pump is normally dry andmust at times draw water from a pressureless source, 1. e. a sourcewhich in itself will not prime the pump of the engine.

Various types of pump primers have heretofore been used, but these havebeen subject to certain objections, such as requiring multiple handoperation or manipulation of par'ts-diflicult to accomplish under thestress of an emergency-and being slow in creating the necessary prime.

It is another object of this invention to provide a pump primer for thecentrifugal pump of fire engines or the like, which is actuated by meansof a single control lever; such lever being arranged to effect openingof the valve of the priming pump, and to simultaneously close the switchwhich controls the operation of the drive motor for the priming pump.

A further object of the invention is to provide means to automaticallyfeed a limited quantity of lubricating oil into the priming pump whenthe same is in operation, and for the purpose of assuring the immediatecreation of suction, and also preventing wear of the moving parts ofsaid priming pump.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensivepump primer and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for thepurpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as indicated at 6, the shaft 1 of motor 5 beingalined with but spaced from the shaft 4 of the pump 3, which is thepriming pump, as will hereinafter appear. The spaced shafts 4 and I areconnected in driving relation by means of a flexible coupling 8.

A three-way pipe fitting 9 connects at one end with the intake port illof pump 3, and one end of a globe valve II is threaded into the otherend of said fitting. The end of globe valve ll opposite fitting 9 isconnected by a suitable fitting l2 with one end of a pipe 13 which leadsto the top of the centrifugal pump M which is to be primed, as shown inFig. 2. The discharge port of the gear pump 3 is provided with asuitable discharge conduit [5.

The globe valve II is of the spring closed type and includes aprojecting depressible operating stem l6; depression of this stemeffecting opening will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claim.

In the drawing, similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the pump primer assembly as mounted on asupporting base.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the priming system.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit employed.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawing, my improved pump primer comprises a flat elongated base Ihaving an upstanding bracket 2 mounted adjacent one end thereof; therebeing a gear type pump 3rigidly secured to said bracket with its driveshaft 4 overhanging the base lengthwise thereof. An electric motor 5 ismounted on the base adjacent its other end by suitable means of thevalve. The stem l6 projects horizontally and outwardly from the assemblyand in a direction longitudinally of the base. An upstanding actuatinglever i1 is pivoted intermediate its ends on a rigid L-shaped bracketmember 18 havin one leg thereof secured with the neck 19 through whichactuating stem l6 slides. The lever I! adjacent its lower end engagesthe outer end of stem l6, whereby upon a pull of lever H at its upperend and away from the valve, the stem I6 is depressed and globe valve II opened.

A push button switch 20 is mounted on another bracket member 2| whichdepends from neck l9 so as to position the switch in substantialvertical alinement with stem IS. A finger 22 is secured on and projectsdownwardly from the lower end portion of lever I'I whereby, when thislever is swung to depress stem l6, finger 22 engages and moves the pushbutton of switch 20, closing the latter. This switch is connected in acircuit 23 which operates the magnet 24 of a relay switch 25. Thisswitch is enclosed in a housing 26 mounted on top of the motor 5 and isinterposed in the battery circuit 21 of the motor; the circuit 23 alsoderiving its current from the battery of circuit 21,

An oil reservoir 28 is disposed in a plane below the gear pump 3 and apipe 29 connects the oil reservoir with the remaining opening 30 of thethree-way fitting 9, there being a check valve 3i interposed in pipe 29and opening towards the pump 3. A plug 32 having a restricted orificetherein is disposed in pipe 29 adjacent fitting 9, whereby to limit thequantity of oil which may flow from reservoir 29 through fitting 9 andpump 3. I

In operation the above described pump primer functions as follows:

The centrifugal ump I4 is normally dry and when connected with apressureless source of water must be primed before it becomes operative.To prime pump M as the latter is connected with the pressureless sourceof water and is turning, the operator need only grasp lever I1 and pullthe same as above described. This depresses both stem l6 and the pushbutton of switch 20, opening the valve H and causin switch 25 to close,which in turn effects actuation of motor 5. 7

With motor running, the gear pump 3 immediately creates a suction in thehousing of centrifugal pump l4 and in the oil feed line 29. Oil inlimited quantity from reservoir 28 immediately is drawn into the gearpump 3, assuring a positive seal between the gears of the pump and amaximum priming suction on centrifugal pump H. In addition, the 011being fed into the gear pump prevents wear, as well as corrosion fromthe water which is drawn therethrough and discharged from the pumpthrough conduit l5.

As soon as the suction created by pump 3 results in priming ofcentrifugal pump [4, which is of course driven from the outlet, theoperator releases lever I'I, causing a closing of valve II and ashutting oil of motor 5,

The primer here disclosed isof especial value for rural fire engineswhich must draw water from a pressureless source.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I haveproduced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent ls: ,7

In a pump priming apparatus which includes a suction pump having conduitmeans extending from the intake side of the suction pump to the pump tobe primed, an electric motor to drive the pump and a circuit for themotor; a selfclosing valve interposed in the conduit means and includinga projecting stem adapted to be depressed to open the valve, a. bracketunit mounted on the valve and having legs projecting in oppositedirections from the stem, a control lever pivoted intermediate its endson one leg and having one end engaged with the valve stem,

an extension projecting from said end of the lever in facing and spacedrelation to the other leg of the bracket unit and a self-openingnormally open switch in the motor circuit mounted on said other leg ofthe bracket and including a depressible element positioned forengagement by said lever extension upon movement of the lever in adirection to depress the valve stem to open the valve.

PERCY E. VAN PELT.

